


The Stars

by hetalia_textbook



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-06
Updated: 2015-06-06
Packaged: 2018-04-03 04:08:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4086064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hetalia_textbook/pseuds/hetalia_textbook
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alfred has the perfect plan to help Ivan with his insomnia. With the older nation away on a business trip, Alfred puts his plan into action.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Stars

When Alfred had suggested they take a step forward in their relationship and share a bed for the first time, Ivan had warned him of his rampant insomnia. It wasn’t that Alfred hadn’t believed him when he described how bad it was. It was just that Ivan seemed so well functioning and he hadn’t thought it affected him so badly. Seeing Ivan so frightened and horrified in the dark tugged at his heart strings. It didn’t seem right for someone so strong, and occasionally frightening, to suffer from such things. Nothing seemed to calm Ivan down, either. Whether it was holding him close or pressing soft kisses to his forehead, it never worked. Ivan was wonderful at playing pretend. If Alfred ever asked him how he felt, his default answer was always a quiet, “I am fine,”

“So… about your insomnia,” Alfred asked over breakfast. The night before had been rough. Heavy bags sat under Ivan’s eyes. The dark circles were a heavy contrast against his pale skin. He quietly stirred his coffee with half lidded eyes. He didn’t respond to Alfred’s inquiry.

“Ivan,” Alfred tried again and set his coffee down on the kitchen table. Ivan still didn’t respond. “Ivan!”

Ivan jumped and a bit of his coffee splashed onto his hand. He hissed and pressed the scalded part of his hand into his mouth. “Sorry, babe,” Alfred said regrettably. Ivan shrugged sluggishly in response.

“I wanted to ask you about your insomnia,” Alfred said after a moment.

Ivan glanced up at his from his coffee mug and frowned, “I am sorry, Fredka. I did not mean to keep you awake,”

“No, no,” Alfred said quickly, shaking his head and running his thumb along the rim of his coffee mug. “I’m just kinda worried about you,”

“Worried?”

“Yeah, I mean, did you sleep at all last night?”

“I… Da, of course,” The lie was evident on his face, written across his tired expression and drowsy eyes. Alfred pursed his lips and scrunched his nose, the freckles pushing together. Ivan knew right away that Alfred didn’t believe him. Although Alfred didn’t like to admit it, his face was very telling.

“Babe, you gotta get some sleep,”

Ivan sighed through his nose and took a sip of his coffee, his eyes examining some specks on the table. Alfred could tell Ivan had no intention to continue their conversation, so Alfred made an attempt to change the topic. “…What usually helps you sleep?”

Ivan chuckled dryly, “You are not sneaky, little one,”

“Hey! I totally am! I mean,” Alfred laughed and averted his gaze, “I’m just asking what helps you sleep. Come on, I wanna know!” Ivan didn’t speak again for a long while. Eventually, Alfred had given up hope in getting his boyfriend to talk. Their pot of coffee was nearly finished when Ivan finally decided to speak again.

“The stars,” Ivan said with a heavy sigh.

“What?” Alfred asked, looking up as he dumped the remaining coffee into the sink.

“I used to watch the stars… Back in my old house,” Ivan paused as through the vague mention of the life he used to live choked him, “…I-I used to watch the stars, until I fell asleep and… one of my states laid a blanket over me…”

“Oh, that’s… that’s really cool,” Alfred said, avoiding all mention of the USSR are the horrors that could come with it.

“You cannot see the stars in the city,” Ivan continued with a hint of sadness in his voice, “But it is better in the city, da? I am closer to work and my people,” He forced a smile onto his lips, but it never reached his eyes. It was the creepy smile that scared others away and terrifying past Russian states.

“Sure,” Alfred said with a smile, “I love the city,”

Days later, Ivan had been called in to see his boss. A meeting had been scheduled for the next week. He apologized to Alfred for having to cut the visit short and packed his bags, expecting Alfred to do the same when he left. They kissed each other goodbye and Alfred watched from the window of Ivan’s apartment as Ivan climbed into a taxi and left. Alfred smiled mischievously. Now was his chance.

When the week had ended, Ivan returned. The dark circles under his eyes had gotten worse and his shoulders slumped from exhaustion. He unlocked his front door, disappointed that Alfred would no longer be there to calm him down when dreams or pain attacked him in the night. When he opened the door, however, he frowned at the sound of objects and furniture being moved and shifted. For a stressful moment, Ivan had wondered if someone had broken into his apartment. His fears were quickly dissipated when he heard Alfred’s voice.

Ivan rounded the hallway and entered his bedroom to find Alfred pushing his bedside table back into its original place. “What are you doing here?” Ivan asked with a smile. Alfred spun around in surprise and blinked. He smiled and laughed just before he pulled Ivan into his arms and hugged. “I couldn’t stay away,” Alfred said cheerfully, “I want to surprise you,”

“This is a wonderful surprise,” Ivan said as he hugged him back.

“You’ll see the real surprise tonight,” Alfred promised.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll see,”

When day turned to night, Ivan laid in bed staring up at his ceiling. Countless stars lined the walls, shimmering and glimmering in the dark. Alfred had painted his ceiling with glimmering stars in paint that only showed in the dark while he was gone. It was beautiful, nearly resembling the night sky he had stared up at years ago. He found Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, following the tails and dippers with his eyes to other stars and constellations placed nearly perfectly along the ceiling and walls. “Спасибо, Fredka,” Ivan whispered quietly into the dark, Alfred sleeping peacefully beside him, “Thank you,”

**Author's Note:**

> Translation: Спасибо - thank you
> 
> This one-shot is in the same vain as Night and is also posted on tumblr.


End file.
